Vehicle traffic signal



l 631,273 June 7, 1927. E.' KIMURA VEHICLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed May 20;1926 2 sheets-s11wv 1 [N1/EN TOR Elrezffo ffMl/RA June 7, 1927.

E. KIMURA VEHICLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed May 20. 1926 Ez ro Knura.

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y PATENT OFFICE.

EIGIRO KIMURA, OF SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Apfaication med May 2o,

An object of this invention is to provide for day and night use, a noveldirection indicator applicable to either closed or open cars, and I makeprovision whereby the in- 5 vention may beVr-eadily applied and `easilyextended and retracted.

The invention is adaptedy to be mountec on various supports and may beused for signals at streetintersectionsl or elsewhere. I It may be alsoapplied to street cars and interurban cars electrically or votherwisedriven. Y

It may be operated by hander Vby elec-A trically actuated mechanism, butit is sufii- 15` cient for the purpose of this application to show theinvention as constructed for use on i automobiles and like vehicles. v nThe invention comprises a lazy tongs, a Isignalling device at theouter-end of the 2U lazy tongs, asupport, a lever pivoted to thesupport, a lazy tongs operating lmember, means pivoting two `members ofthe lazy tongs to the lever and means pivoting two other members ofthe'lazy tongs to the lazy J) tongs operating means so that the lazytongs may be extended or retracted at different angles to thehorizontal.` v

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may' appear from theaccompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description and the appendedclaims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a fragmental view of the signal in collapsed position on aclosed automobile and ready to be brought into signaling position.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the invention in position indicating a leftturn. The positions for right turn and stop are indicated in brokenlines, omitting the inner ends of the lazy tongs.

Fig. 3 is a plan viewed from line mS-s, Fig. 4, showing the deviceretracted from the solid line position shown in Fig. 2; broken linesindicate the positionwhen the device is fully collapsed and turned tominimize its projection from the automobile.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of what is shown in solid lines in Fig. 3. l

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the operating handle of the traiiicdirection signal. l

Fi'. 6 is an enlarged rear elevation of the signzil operating handle,with fragments of 192e. seriai No. 110,376.

lazy'tongs extended in solid, and retracted in dotted lines. y

Fig. 7 is an enlarged front elevation of the signal operating handle andlazy 'tongs as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8y is a plan view to show the signal l attached to an openicar iandiny retracted lQosition.l Y

, Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the device used to attach the signalto the windshield.

The lazy tongs 1 is pivoted by the pivot bolt 2 to the center of asegment 3 that is ixed to a pivot post 4 which is hinged on a verticalaxis 5 to a bracket 6 that is fixed by any suitable clamping means 7 tothe frame 8 oi' the vehicle.

9 is a lever pivoted to the center of thel segment 3 and to the post 4by the pivot 2 to which it is secured bya nut 2.

1.0 is a handle on the lever 9, and 11 is a spring-actuated latchingslide provided with a detent 12 adapted to engage in notchesl in the arcof the segment. The latch slide is provided with a handle 14 and isnormally heldin engaging position by a spring '15.

Said'slide may be secured to the lever in any desired way,jand is shownas being so secured by rivets 16 passing through slots 17 in the Islide,11 and fixed to the lever 9 so that by drawingtheslide handle 14 towardthe lever handle 10, the latchwill be released and the lever may beturned with relation to the fixed segment, thus moving the lazy tongs toany desired angle.

The operating links 18, 19 at the inner end ofthe lazy tong-s areconnected in the usual Way by pivots 20with the lazy tong members 21,which are pivoted to each other at the middle and to the post 4 by thepivot 2 lixed to said post.

22 is a lazy tongs operating rod connected to the end links of the lazytongs by a bolt pivot 23 that extends through a slot 24 in the lever 9and that pivots the terminals of the links 18, 19 to the operating rod22; the terminals of said links being disposed on opposite sides of rod22 so that as said rod is slid along the slideway 24, the links 18, 19,will be moved to extend and retract the lazy tongs. l

The connecting rod 22 is provided with a connecting rod handle 25 havinga spring operated connecting rod ,latch 26 having a thumb piece 27 andfulcrumed at 28 to the handle 2.5 ,S0 that by pressing upon the Aawaythumb piece 27 to compress the spring 29, the latch 26 will be releasedfrom, the lever 9 and the operating rod 22 can be slid to eX- tend orretract the lazy tongs.

30 indicates the opaque frame of lamp holder having face plates 3l thatmay be colored and translucent and may be spaced apart to contain alampv 32 to illuminate the translucency; there being like translucentplates, both at the front and the back faces of the lamp holder.Likewise, the face plates may bear traflic designations such as the`Words, Stop, Gro or Turn.

The driver of a closed car provided with this invention can bring thesignal into col lapsed position shown in Fig. 3 by retracting the lazytongs and swinging the leverout from the open Window of the closed car;and in that position the signal is not prominent from either front orback.

Then it is desired to give a direct si gnal,

the operator will draw the handle 9 in andV `will operate the signaloperating rod to throw the signal out into extended position. This maybe easily done While the handle is level or when it is inclined downwardand outward; and when it is extended, the operator may release thelatching detent 12 by sliding the handle 10 along the lever.

The operator will release the latch 26 when he wishes to Withdraw thesignal, by operating the lazy tongs and allowing the latch 26 to clutchthe lever when the signal holder is properly extended.

Then the lever has been appropriately a`djusted on the arc of thesegment, the detent l2 of latch 11 may be allowed to seat in the notches13 of the segment, thus lixing'the indicating angle of the lazy tongs.

The translucent faces ofthe signal may be parti-colored, one part beingred and the other green, for example, as indicated at a and b in thedrawing; but it is understood that any color or colors may be selectedin accordance With the judgment and coni venience of the constructor.

1. The combination with the lazy tongs and a4 signal thereon of a sectorhaving a notched arc; a pivot post to Which the sector is fixed;v abracket on which the pivot post is hinged on la vertical axis.; a leverpivoted to the center of the sector and tol the post; a handle on thelever; al spring actuated latch provided with a detent adapted to engagethe notches in the are of the sector; a handle for the latch, a springto hold the latch normally in arc engaging position vand saidlazy tongsadapted for adjustment to dispose said segment at right angles to saidpost.

2. The combination with a lazy tongs provided' with a signal at an outerendand comprising operating links at the innerend, a post adapted forattachment to a vehicle and to which said operating links are pivoted; aslotted lever, fa bolt extending through the slot in the lever andpivoting the lazy tongs operating rod 'to the end links of the lazyvtongs, the terminals of the links being vdisposed on opposite sides ofthe 'I operating rod sothat as vsaid redis slid along the lever thelinks vwill be moved to extend and retract the lazy tongs and saidsignal adapted to be retracted to dispose the same in vertical alinementvvith the side of the vehicle. s

In testimonywhereof, I haveghereu'nto set myV hand at Los Angeles,California, this 1st day of May, 1926. Y

EIGIRO KIMURA.

